Forever Young
by Chelsea Oz
Summary: If you were fans of my "Birth, Death, Love and Babies" saga, you're in for a treat. This is the story of how Maria died told by Maria's POV. Take comfort in the fact that she did not suffer, she made a new friend, and that she is Sam and Diane's biggest fan! Last chapter is up, now complete!
1. Chapter 1

I know I was only five when I died. My life was over all because I wanted to go swimming that day. I had those bad dreams and I wanted to not be afraid anymore. That's why I jumped in and just swam away. I had so much control those first few minutes and then it got harder. I decided to rest for just a minute but I guess it was too long. I started to sink a little but I was not one bit scared. It felt good to drop and let my body fall down.

Then my strength kicked in again. I pushed myself back up and away I swam. I was swimming the best I'd ever done in my whole life. I had so much energy that I could turn back and swim at any moment and brag to my brothers about how great I was. Anytime I could beat the boys at anything, I was so proud, I didn't care who it hurt. It wasn't until I turned around that I mommy and daddy standing on the beach holding another little girl.

"Who is that?" I asked out loud. That was silly. There was nobody there except myself, I had gone so far out. I then began to swim very fast so I could meet them.

I almost wish I hadn't gone back to the beach. Mommy and daddy were crying. Why were they doing that? Was that little girl making them upset? I was putting up my dukes already to swing at that little brat. Nobody was going to mess with daddy and mommy like that! Not if I could help it.

I couldn't help it. Mommy gave the little girl back to daddy and I finally saw who the girl was. I surprised to find my own face looking back at me. Well, okay, my eyes were closed but how could that be? I was here, I was okay, I was awake. That couldn't have been me. Especially since my daddy started singing a sad song while he was dancing. There was no way I would allow him to sing me a sad song.

"Maria," daddy finally calls out to me.

"Yes, daddy, I'm here," I say, gripping his leg. He doesn't hear me though. He doesn't know I'm here at all.

"Can I see Maria again?" Mommy asks while daddy hands her the girl he was holding.

"That's not me!" I was mad now. "I'm right here, mommy! I'm okay! Why can't you guys see me?"

I looked to the other side of my mother and realized that our neighbors, Bill and Jennifer, were there with them. I ran over to them and pinched them to see if they could tell I was around. They didn't know either. Was this a joke? This wasn't funny at all. If I'm around, I want people to know it! Then there was a man who came out of nowhere.

"I see you, baby," he said.

"It's about time someone did! Who are you?"

"I'm your friend, Ernie Pantusso."

"Who?"

"You know, Coach. Your parents have a picture of me in the living room."

"Oh!" I could see him perfect now. I know exactly who he is and that makes me feel better.

"Come with me, honey," Coach says, taking my hand.

"Where are we gonna go?"

"A place where you won't have to grow up."

"You mean like in Peter Pan? You mean like Neverland?"

"Yeah, just like that."

"Nice! Can I bring my brothers and sister, too?"

"Uh, next time, my dear."

"Mommy and daddy?" I ask as he picks me up.

"They'll all come in there own good time. I'm going to take care of you for now."

"I'll miss them though."

"You can visit them whenever you want."

"If you say so."

That was the last thing I said before me and Coach walked into this big ball of light. It was so cool, it was like walking on the sun. There was a rainbow bridge where I walked with Coach and I saw all these animals. It was better than the zoo. I could run, I could swim, I could lay for a long time in the grass and have no fear; I was happy.

Then one time later I looked into the water where I would swim and I would see mommy and daddy at daddy's bar. Everyone was crying and there were pictures of me everywhere. It made me sad and confused again. Why were they where they were, being sad and I was here, being happy? I dove into the water and it seemed I was part of their world.

At first I was in the car with daddy. I told him to turn on the radio and listen to the music. I wanted to listen to the music. He must have heard me because he did it. He was even smiling for a while. Good daddy, that's what I wanted you to do. It wasn't long before we were back at my old house and I saw mommy.

"Go hug mommy, daddy," I tell him before he unbuckles his seatbelt. "Mommy needs a hug. She's been crying."

He did it again! They are listening to me! I love that they love each other. I hope they know how much I love them.

"C'mon, honey," I hear Coach calling me from the moon.

"I love you," I say to both of them before I leave. "Love each other."


	2. Chapter 2

***Author's Note: Maria's first dream visit to her mother. Takes place in the piece "****_Where I Will Always Love You_****."**

"Do you think she's ready to see me?" I ask Coach.

"Who, honey?"

"My mother."

"Well, of course she's ready to see you!"

"You don't think she'll be sad?"

"No. I bet she'll be happy."

I was still scared though. I of course was brave enough to visit them when they were awake. They couldn't see me then, they could only feel me. Ernie, my brother, left me a candy bar on Halloween in my old dresser that was now going to be used for Elizabeth, my sister. It was my favorite candy, too: Snickers. Spencer pulled out my chair at the dining room table out of habit on Thanksgiving. He thought it felt heavy when he pushed it back (that was because I was sitting in it, weenie!). Mommy and Daddy hung up my stocking at Christmas even though I wouldn't be there in my body.

I hope my mommy's ready to see me. She hasn't cried, but I know she still feels really bad, they all do. I wish I hadn't hurt their feelings like I did. I wish they could come stay with me up here. I like it here and I know they would, too. When my brothers and sister are here, we are going to run around all day! There is so much soft grass to run barefoot in, so many trees to climb, so many ponds to swim in. We're going to have a blast when they come.

I walk over to my pond, I have officially named it Maria's Pond. It's the one place I can look down and see what my family is up to. All I have to do is swim down deep and I'm a part of their world again. They may not know it, but I'm there. I'm sad to see mommy crying, happy to see daddy hugging and kissing her as he should. Next thing I know, mommy is going to sleep already! My big chance has arrived and I'm going to jump on it! I swim faster than I have ever done before, and I'm fast. I can't wait to get to her. Please don't wake up on me, mommy!

"Mommy!" I'm here. This is so cool!

"Not now, Maria."

Is she kidding me? I came all this way and she doesn't even want to see me? Too bad, she's going to see me!

"Mommy, look at me!"

"Maria...I...Maria?" She just realized she was talking to me. I ducked down behind the bed for a minute. I don't know why, but I got scared. Maybe I wasn't as ready for this as I thought. I tiptoe around the bed and then I looked at her as soon as she looked at me. It felt so good to look at her and knowing she knew I was really here for her.

"Maria, baby! Come here my little baby!"

I laugh because I'm so happy she's happy. She wants a hug and so do I. I run to her, wrap my arms around her neck and throw my legs around her hips. I can really feel her now and to me it was sad. I wanted to come back to her so bad and I knew that couldn't happen. I needed to get out of there.

"Mommy..."

"I'm so happy to see you, honey."

"I gotta go."

"What? You just came."

"Don't be sad, mommy. I'll always come back to see you. It's okay."

"If you say so."

"I know so. I love you, mommy."

"I love you too, baby."

I was back on the edge of Maria's Pond before I knew it. Coach had found me and took a seat next to me.

"You saw her, didn't you?"

"Yeah. I wanted to stay with her so bad, Coach."

"You can go back down if you want to."

"No. I won't be able to go back to mommy and daddy like I want to. Mommy can't have anymore babies and even if I could see her, I wouldn't be me. They need to know that it's me. I will wait for them to come here."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Maria's dream visit to Elizabeth on her fifth birthday. Takes place in the piece "_Goodnight, Moon_."**

Time sure doesn't work in heaven like it does on earth. I never quite grew up enough to know how to tell time. I learned with every passing birthday, christmas, or any other holiday meant closer to an end of a year. Little children like me grow taller and someone can tell they were growing up. My brothers, for sure, and I don't know if she knows it yet, but my baby sister, too. I visit her and Ernie and Spencer every birthday that they have. Elizabeth was just a little baby when I left so I don't think she would ever feel me as strongly as my brothers do or would have.

Tonight was Elizabeth and Ernie's birthdays. They were both born on September 27th. I think its funny how at least three of us were born on a holiday. Ernie was born on an ordinary day but he's an extraordinary guy so I like to think his day is a celebration to be admired. I hope Elizabeth feels that way; she should and I think she's lucky.

I will be dream visiting her for the first time tonight. She's five years old today and I want her to meet me now because I was the same age as her when I died. Maybe she would understand me a little better. She knows she had a sister but she never got a chance to know me. That makes me sad that she won't. I think back on how badly I behaved when I found out mommy was going to have another baby. When the baby was born a girl, I really lost my cool. I was the baby girl and I wanted it to stay that way, darn it! I didn't want to share the spotlight. That's silly to think of now because I know I had my own special place and so doesn't Elizabeth.

"Coach, I think I'm ready," I say, running over to my friend.

"Want me to walk with you to the pond?"

"I think I want to go to the moon."

"The moon? Why not the pond?"

"Please? This is special; this is for Elizabeth. I feel like making a grand entrance."

"No matter what you're coming from heaven. How much more of a grand entrance do you need?"

"Coach," I give him the glare. He can't stand my glare.

"Okay, to the moon we go," he says, taking my hand. The moonlight blurs my eyes a little bit but I'm in Elizabeth's room before I know it. This way is much more faster than swimming to the bottom of the pond. If only I can get over the light in my eyes.

"Hey, you," I say, grabbing a hold of her feet and tickling them.

"Hey you is right!" She yells, kicking my hand away.

"Wow, you got me good," I reply. She really got me good.

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you okay?"

She spins right around and finally catches a glimpse of me. She looks a little shocked to see me and frankly, I'm shocked to see her. I have seen her before but man, her hair and eyes are even more gorgeous to me right now.

"You're beautiful," I tell her.

"So are you. Did I hurt your arm real bad?"

"No, I'll be okay..." I didn't have a chance to finish before she picked up my arm and kissed it. "What'd you do that for?"

"All better. That's what you do when you get hurt. Your mommy and daddy kiss it and it makes it all better."

"Well, I guess you're right."

"You oughta know I'm right. We have the same mommy and daddy."

"So you do know me."

"Yes, I see your pictures all the time. Why did you wait so long to see me."

"It's your birthday. You're five and I'm five."

"So we're the same age, huh?"

"Yes. That's why I waited until now."

"Are you gonna go back to heaven when you leave?"

"Yes, I live there now. I visit you every year on your birthday, not just this one. Did you know that?"

"I thought I've seen you before..."

"In pictures. I know, you told me."

"No, I've seen you."

I was shocked again. My sister did indeed know me. I had no idea we were as close as we are now the whole time. I instantly hug my beautiful sister and she hugs me back.

"I better go. I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too. Tell mommy and daddy I saw you."

"Okay," she tells me as I go back to the light side of the moon.


	4. Chapter 4

***Author's Note: A now grown up soul, Maria looks in on her parents on their 30th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of her death. Takes place in the piece "****_You're Still The One_****."**

My parents have been married for thirty years now. I have been dead for twenty years now. Even though my death is the hardest thing they have ever gone through, they made it anyway. They still are loving each other which I always hoped that they still would.

That's not to say that many changes haven't come about. My brothers were adult men with wives and children of their own. Elizabeth may not have been married with children yet but man was she going to dominate the world with her knowledge and wit. From what I've learned about my mother, Elizabeth and a young Diane Chambers Malone are very much alike. I hope they know that I was there for all the graduations, weddings and births of my brother's babies.

Coach is no longer with me in heaven. He chose to be born again a year ago. He is now the soul of Ernest Samuel Malone Jr. That's right, he came back to earth as one of mom and dad's grandchildren. He is a very sweet and shy little boy. Not unlike my brother, his daddy. Heck, almost like how I knew him to be in heaven.

As for me? Well, right now I am on the edge of my pond looking in on dad and mom. They are dancing to an oldies song that's as sweet as the autumn air. A shining gold penny appears to me in the pond from out of nowhere. I go to pick it up, kiss the coin and toss it down to my parent's living room. I realize that my ever observant mother is the one to notice it. Their song is over and she promptly bends down to pick up the penny. I can tell by the look on her face that she knows it was from me. She looks up at me and smiles. I smile back at her and blow her a kiss.

"I love you, mom," I say as she slowly drifts out of sight.

I get up from my pond and walk over to the weeping willow tree. I've been doing a lot of thinking and introspection here. One of the first thoughts that come to my mind is the fact that the penny showed up out of nowhere. How ironic that the penny is one cent and I know that my parents will soon learn they will have a new grandchild. They also don't know that their new grandbaby is going to be me. Yes, I have made the desicion after all these years to be born again. I will be Spencer's second daughter and I will live a remarkably full life this time. The age of five will be a factor in my life because that will be when Grandpa Sam will die. I will be close to him and it will be diffucult for me, but he is going to die before me this time and it will only be right. It's still unclear of when Grandma Diane will cross over but I do know that I will have many more years with her. Back to the pond, I prick the water with my toe and my handsome soon-to-be grandfather looks up at me, beaming.

"We will meet again, daddy," I assure him. Way sooner than you know.


End file.
